The Business of the City: Miscellaneous

Monday, October 28, 2013

In my October Public Safety Report, I noted that I had discussed Halloween safety with Public Safety Director Hellwig. In that meeting, the director spoke about the
strategic plan that has been put in place for this week--Mischief Night (Wednesday) as well as Halloween (Thursday) to curb acts of vandalism and other
crimes.

The Mobile Command Unit, which has been on the streets, will be a part of
this plan. I will also be on the streets on Thursday evening with my council colleagues who represent the 2nd and 3rd Wards, visiting constituents and ensuring that everyone (our kids as well as adults!) has a pleasant experience. The Centers for Disease Control (click HERE for the website) puts out a guide to "Halloween Safety Tips," which I have reproduced below.

Swords, knives, and similar costume accessories
should be short, soft, and flexible.

Avoid
trick-or-treating alone. Walk in groups or with a trusted adult.

Fasten
reflective tape to costumes and bags to help drivers see you.

Examine
all treats for choking hazards and tampering before eating them. Limit the
amount of treats you eat.

Hold
a flashlight while trick-or-treating to help you see and others see you.
Always WALK and don't run from house to house.

Always
test make-up in a small
area first. Remove it before bedtime to prevent possible skin and eye
irritation.

Look
both ways before crossing the street. Use established crosswalks wherever
possible.

Saturday, October 19, 2013

“When
an individual is protesting society’s refusal to acknowledge his dignity as a
human being, his very act of protest confers dignity on him.”― Bayard Rustin

Equal rights for ALL/

That is how WE will truly/

Become ONE nation.

I have already begun receiving inquiries from my constituents about marriage licenses for same-sex couples in Plainfield. There is no reason to assume that Plainfield will not be among the first to open its doors on Monday to marriage equality.

One
may apply for a marriage license by going to the Plainfield Health
Department's Office of Vital Statistics at 510 Watchung Avenue (City
Hall Annex), 1st Floor. Ask the Registrar, Barbara Jennings-Wynn, for an application. Here is a link to additional contact information:

At the
July 15, 2013 Plainfield City Council meeting, the governing body
unanimously passed a resolution (R-248-13) in support of overriding Gov.
Chris Christie's veto of marriage equality. That is now moot, thanks to
the state Supreme Court decision handed down on Friday, October 18--an
historic occasion here in New Jersey. With this ruling, the Supreme
Court has affirmed equality for ALL Americans as outlined in the U.S. Constitution. This is a proud moment for our state and our country.Plainfield, in many ways, is a progressive city. Read the article below (from April of this year) about support for marriage equality from members of the religious community here:

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Today is the Special Election to
fill the seat of the late Sen. Frank Lautenberg. I urge everyone to vote for Cory Booker, the best candidate to take this seat. I watched one of the debates between Democrat Mayor Booker and his Republican opponent, Steve Lonegan, and Lonegan, a Tea Party favorite, seemed absolutely unhinged at certain points. Instead of discussing his plan on how he would represent our state, he simply attacked Cory Booker's record in the city of Newark--making disgusting remarks about the murders that have occurred in that city. Lonegan is against the Affordable Care Act, against marriage equality, he is anti-reproductive choice, anti-immigration reform, and anti-Social Security.

Cory Booker represents the ONLY choice, in my opinion. The polls will be open until 8:00 pm.